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Fantasy Insider: Fantasy golf advice for the Quicken Loans National

This is one of those rare moments, if not the only, when all you really need to do is remember to submit your picks and lineups. In recent weeks, I’ve written about strategy as Segment 3 of PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO nears its conclusion. This week’s Quicken Loans National is the antepenultimate event of 14 before The Open Championship launches Segment 4. With only A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier and the John Deere Classic remaining before all golfers are reset to three starts, you’re unlikely to miss any of the guys in this week’s field for whom you’d be burning the final start. This is the reality even after I shared last week that last year’s QLN scored the least of the last four tournaments (including the Travelers Championship) of Segment 3. That fact supported the advice to burn any last starts you had at TPC River Highlands. So, if you still have a start for your favorite, it’s a bonus. Burn it now. I’ve also written quite a bit about up-and-comers who demand your attention this summer and beyond. That content remains viewable anytime you want to revisit it. As it did with nine exemptions last weekend, The Open Championship will be adding to its field every week until it’s time for the tournament on July 19-22. Continue to monitor Qualfiers regularly. Weeks like this one are good for the fantasy soul. They simplify and clarify. Just don’t forget to head to the fantasy platform to lock in your decisions! PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO My roster for the Quicken Loans National (in alphabetical order): Rickie Fowler J.B. Holmes Marc Leishman Francesco Molinari Kyle Stanley Tiger Woods You’ll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Byeong Hun An; Kiradech Aphibarnrat; Tom Hoge; Si Woo Kim; Kevin Na; Jimmy Walker Driving: Byeong Hun An; Tyler Duncan; Beau Hossler; J.T. Poston; Kevin Streelman Approach: Stewart Cink; Tom Hoge; Kevin Na; Kevin Streelman; Tiger Woods Short: Kiradech Aphibarnrat; Beau Hossler; Jimmy Walker Power Rankings Wild Card Kevin Na … After flirting with fate and failing at Muirfield Village where he was a Draw before missing the cut – as a refresher, he zigs more often than most when he projects to zag – he deserves another chance at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm. Still more effective as a short-game artist, he’s also 46th in strokes gained: tee-to-green and T20 in par-5 scoring. Also placed T22 here last year while leading the field in strokes gained: approach-the-green. Draws Si Woo Kim … When he celebrates his 23rd birthday concurrently with Thursday’s opening round, he’ll be extending the expectation of consistency. It wasn’t the narrative defining his burgeoning career until this season, and it includes ingredients to launch something quite special sooner than later for the two-time PGA TOUR winner. Although he missed the cut here last year, he makes sense on this course because of his knack to connect with a terrific tee-to-green game. Sits 50th on TOUR in the strokes-gained stat dedicated to measuring that. Anirban Lahiri … It’s easy to lean on the laurels of his steady T9 at the Travelers, but he was already trending toward it. It began, surprisingly, with his missed cut at THE PLAYERS. It was at TPC Sawgrass where he reversed a trend of four straight starts surrendering strokes to each field tee to green. Since the PGA TOUR’s flagship event, he’s connected five straight starts while gaining strokes on each field. His strokes gained: tee-to-green at TPC River Highlands measured a season-best 6.79. So, ride him while he’s hot, but understand that the fuel for his surge matters even more at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm. Kevin Streelman … In Streelman we trust. He makes most cuts, resides among the best on TOUR tee-to-green and salvaging pars, and he finished T17 here last year. Continue to wear him out in every format. Adam Hadwin (DFS) Billy Horschel (DFS) Fades Gary Woodland … It’s been a tale of two seasons in 2017-18. Since opening with a 7-for-7 run that was punctuated with a playoff victory at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, he’s just 5-for-11 with no better than a T23 (Memorial) since. He’s also getting his first look at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm. Bill Haas … Quite simply, even though it’s been awhile since he’s exhibited week-to-week consistency, we don’t need to force him. Yet, it’s an expectation in the 36-year-old that we must continue to possess. Now four months removed from the crash in California, he may only need a fresh start to a season to feel himself again competitively. From that standpoint, he’s on an early watch as a salary bargain entering 2018-19. David Lingmerth … If you’re confused as to why he’d even be included in this section as he occupies 153rd place in the FedExCup standings, it’s because he led each of the first three rounds in last year’s QLN before backpedaling to finish T5. He’s managed only two top 25s on the PGA TOUR since, including at last week’s Travelers, but his role is as a flier for DFSers, and fractionally at that. Ryan Palmer Patrick Rodgers Returning to Competition None. Notable WDs Ben Martin … His missed cut at the Travelers was the fifth in his last six starts. He’s gone 14 straight without a top 25 but hangs on at 125th in the FedExCup standings. This decision saves course history buffs who may have been holding their breath since he finished T5 at TPC Potomac last year. Mac Hughes … It doesn’t seem like all that long ago that he was checking off all of the boxes, personally and professionally. Yet, he’s 200th in the FedExCup standings with only six cuts made in 22 starts, none of which going for a top 40. No matter what happens the rest of this summer, the 27-year-old will get another season with fully exempt status for winning The RSM Classic late in 2016. And because it’ll be his contract year, he might be worth the plunge in deep salary formats. Vaughn Taylor … Finished T61 at last year’s QLN. Currently 97th in the FedExCup standings and an impressive 43rd in adjusted scoring. Nate Lashley … This is his second consecutive early withdrawal. He hasn’t used social media to explain why. The rookie hasn’t played since finishing T37 in Memphis. At 151st in the FedExCup standings, he’s in the no-man’s land of being safe to qualify for the Web.com Tour Finals but outside the bubble for conditional status as a last resort for 2018-19. Hunter Mahan … Since opening the season with a pair of top 20s, he’s just 7-for-14 with no better than a T35 (Corales). Still, don’t count out the veteran to make noise down the stretch. While he’s not angling at that at the moment, it wouldn’t be that surprising given his career achievements. He sits 161st in FedExCup points. Power Rankings Recap – Travelers Championship Power Ranking  Golfer  Result 1  Daniel Berger  T67 2  Patrick Reed  MC 3  Justin Thomas  T56 4  Webb Simpson  MC 5  Charley Hoffman  T15 6  Marc Leishman  MC 7  Brendan Steele  MC 8  Ryan Moore  MC 9  Xander Schauffele  MC 10  Paul Casey  T2 11  Bryson DeChambeau  T9 12  Jordan Spieth  T42 13  Rory McIlroy  T12 14  Brooks Koepka  T19 15  Jason Day  T12 Wild Card  Bubba Watson  Win Sleepers Recap – Travelers Championship Golfer  Result Aaron Baddeley  MC Beau Hossler  T2 Dylan Meyer  MC Patrick Rodgers  T26 Vaughn Taylor  T47 Birthdays among active golfers on the PGA TOUR June 26 … Colt Knost (33) June 27 … none June 28 … Si Woo Kim (23) June 29 … Mark Hensby (46); Anirban Lahiri (31); Trey Mullinax (26) June 30 … Patrick Rodgers (26) July 1 … none July 2 … Brett Stegmaier (35)

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Five Things to Know: Waialae Country ClubFive Things to Know: Waialae Country Club

The PGA TOUR shifts from Maui to Oahu this week, and while the state may be the same, the island change calls for a dramatically different style of golf. Gone are the sweeping elevation changes of Kapalua and in comes the flatter, European and Hamptons-inspired Waialae Country Club, home of the Sony Open in Hawaii. Waialae pre-dates Hawaiian statehood, was featured in a popular 1960s comedy flick, and has been part of the PGA TOUR schedule since 1965. That’s a lot of tournament film to study, but Waialae still packs a few new punches every January. 1. It pays tribute to legendary courses When golf course architect Seth Raynor and his then-associate Charles Banks crafted Waialae in the early part of the 20th century, they looked to some of the famous courses of the day for inspiration. Raynor designed the first hole, now a 488-yard par 4, with the “Road Hole” from the Old Course at St Andrews in mind. Like the 17th hole in Scotland, the first hole in Hawaii demands an approach shot into a shallow green with a deep bunker guarding in front. No. 7 at Waialae is a sibling of No. 6 at National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York, one of the trademark courses of Charles B. Macdonald, Raynor’s mentor. Both par 3s play short – the back tees at National Golf Links stretch to 141 yards and the Sony Open hole reaches 162 yards – but both provide a layer of bunker troubles in front of a wide green. Raynor originally surrounded the entire green with sand as a further tribute to Macdonald, but today it’s only in the front. Waialae’s par-3 17th hole employs a “redan-style” green that was recently restored to Raynor’s original vision with a large bunker on the left and four smaller bunkers to the right of the green. Macdonald and Raynor were important figures in establishing the redan concept in the U.S., bringing it over from its origin at North Berwick Golf Club in Scotland. The par-3 fourth hole at Waialae, with its 55-yard green including a deep swale running across the middle, is said to take its shape from the Biarritz Golf Club in France. Unfortunately for Raynor, he never saw the full fruit of his labors, as he passed away in January 1926, one year before Waialae officially opened. 2. The front and back nines are flipped Hawaiian golf is primetime golf in the contiguous United States. And to make sure fans see the most picturesque views of Oahu as they watch the late-night action, the Sony Open swaps the front and back nine for tournament play. There are two notable reasons for the change. First of all, aesthetics: The back nine holes (front nine for members) best highlight the beauty of the Hawaiian sun setting in the west. Second, this affords the opportunity to use the par-5 dogleg left 18th hole (ninth hole for members) as a dramatic finishing hole. While the 18th only played 546 yards in 2021, a series of bunkers at the dogleg require a precise tee shot to set up a feasible second shot into the green. Last year, Kevin Na put his second shot through the green on 18 before getting up and down for birdie and a one-shot win. In 1983, Isao Aoki holed out for eagle from 128 yards to become the first Japanese player to win on the PGA TOUR. No matter what the contenders do on 18, it’s almost always entertaining. 3. It’s a mad, mad ‘W’ The most iconic feature of Waialae is the “W” formed by four coconut trees behind the 16th green. This formation is on purpose, and while it has only been around since 2010, its history goes back more than 50 years. In 1963 – two years before the debut of the Sony Open – Stanley Kramer’s “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” debuted in theaters, and it featured one of Hollywood’s all-time star-studded casts with Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle and Sid Caesar, among others. The film’s plot revolved around a group of individuals racing to uncover $350,000 hidden under a W-shaped tree in the fictional California city of Santa Rosita. Waialae member Ethan Abbott estimated he was around 9 or 10 years old when he originally saw the movie. His boyish enthusiasm about the film never left him, and as an adult in the 2000s, he started lobbying the course to create its own W. After some initial pushback, Waialae relocated four trees from the hundreds on the course, planting them behind the No. 7 green for members. The entire alteration cost $3,500 and came from a gift already earmarked for a project on the course. While the trees are tricked into thinking they are growing straight, they now form one of golf’s iconic images, with the “W” appearing on Waialae merchandise and earning the club a series of national landscape awards. Weddings have even become common at the “W,” a prime photo opp spot for golf enthusiasts. But did Abbott hide any cash under the trees? That remains unknown. 4. Justin Thomas has the course record In 2017, Justin Thomas arrived at Waialae directly from a victory at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. He backed that up with an opening-round 59 at Oahu, a new course record, surpassing Davis Love III’s 60 in 1994. Thomas started on the back and book-ended his round with eagles on No. 10 and No. 9. At age 23, Thomas became the youngest player to ever shoot a sub-60 round. Along with the 18-hole record, Thomas proceeded to set the 36-hole, 54-hole and tournament records at the Sony Open, finishing at 27-under 253 to beat Justin Rose by seven strokes. The Sony Open was Thomas’ third of five wins en route to his 2016-17 FedExCup title. 5. It’s a flat track The Sentry Tournament of Champions field climbs as high as 510 feet above sea level at the Plantation Course at Kapalua. At Waialae, players can leave their hiking boots back at the hotel. The Oahu course has an elevation change of roughly 10 feet. While Waialae includes features unique to Hawaii – coconut, monkey pod and kiawe trees, along with Pacific Ocean views – water hazards are minimal and 83 bunkers span the grounds. Breezes can play a factor, but after the mountains and unexpected winds of Kapalua, Waialae presents a more subdued atmosphere. The last three Sony Open champions are Kevin Na, Cameron Smith and Matt Kuchar, which suggests ball-striking and putting are more important than distance on this classic course.

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Phil Mickelson once threatened to kick Johnny Miller’s butt using kung fuPhil Mickelson once threatened to kick Johnny Miller’s butt using kung fu

There are a lot of great golf stories being published right now, as the sport gears-up for its second major of the year, but this one about Phil Mickelson is among the best. Golf Digest‘s Guy Yocom has known Phil Mickelson for the more than 25 years he’s been a professional golfer, and in his most recent piece, he uses it to tell some rather hilarious stories. There’s so much good stuff — trust us, it’s worth your time to read it — but this particular anecdote was my favorite. “I could probably kick your butt,� Phil said. “I know karate and kung fu. I’m stronger than you.� “I don’t know if you’re that strong,� Miller said. “You want to arm wrestle and see how strong you are?� It continued… In

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Many say PGA TOUR Player of Year race isn’t overMany say PGA TOUR Player of Year race isn’t over

PARAMUS, N.J. – The question was a simple one, and it was put to contestants at THE NORTHERN TRUST at Ridgewood Country Club, the first stop of the highly anticipated FedExCup Playoffs: Is the PGA TOUR Player of the Year race already over? FedExCup No. 3 Brooks Koepka has two majors (U.S. Open, PGA Championship) and two runner-up finishes. Clearly, he’s in pole position. “You win two majors, you’ve got it,â€� 11-time PGA TOUR Player of the Year Tiger Woods said in his press conference at Ridgewood on Tuesday. “It’s not real complicated.â€� Well, yes and no. Since the 1990 inception of the PGA TOUR Player of the Year Award, Nick Price (1994), Mark O’Meara (1998), Woods (four times), Padraig Harrington (2008), Rory McIlroy (2014) and Jordan Spieth (2015) have had multiple-major-winning seasons and won POY. The only player to win two majors and not win it was Nick Faldo in 1990. Although he easily could’ve cited himself as Exhibit A, B, C and D, Woods went back to the example of Mark O’Meara, who won the Masters and Open Championship in 1998. “It was very similar to what DD (David Duval) went through in ’98,â€� Woods said, “with Marco (Mark O’Meara) winning two major championships. I think that trumps — what, DD won four times that year? (He did.) I think two majors trumps it.â€� The big difference, though, is that was before the FedExCup Playoffs were born in 2007. And that’s why most of the players interviewed at Ridgewood refused to call the POY race early. What if a guy gets hot like Billy Horschel did in 2014, or Camilo Villegas in 2008? Three-time winners Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson could make it interesting if they add to their totals at THE NORTHERN TRUST, Dell Technologies Championship, BMW Championship and TOUR Championship, the four corners of TOUR’s post-season. Then there’s Francesco Molinari (Open Championship, Quicken Loans National), with whom Woods went head-to-head at The Open at Carnoustie, and Masters champ Patrick Reed. Spieth, the 2015 PGA TOUR POY, agreed with Woods that Koepka has already wrapped it up, no matter what the Playoffs have in store for chasers like his friend Thomas. “I think he would tell you the same thing,â€� Spieth said. (Actually, no, but more on that later.) Keegan Bradley admitted that Koepka probably has it wrapped up, but added a caveat: The right player, someone immediately behind Koepka, could get red-hot in the Playoffs. “They’d have to win a couple,â€� Bradley said. “Two, I think.â€� Tommy Fleetwood and Jamie Lovemark seconded that. “Two majors out-weighs three wins,â€� Fleetwood said, “but one of them could win the next four.â€� “Maybe Patrick Reed wins the next three,â€� Lovemark said with a laugh. Even realistically, some maintained the POY race remains undecided. “It’s not over,â€� James Hahn said. “Three tournament wins versus two majors? I’ll take the two majors. But four or five tournaments plus the FedExCup? I’ll take that guy.â€� Others echoed that sentiment. “I would go with five wins and a FedExCup,â€� said Jason Kokrak, “because that’s technically six trophies and a lot more money. I don’t think it’s over.â€� Marc Leishman agreed. “I don’t think it’s over,â€� he said. “There’s a lot of golf left, and big tournaments, too.â€� Talk to enough players and you’ll hear all sorts of different opinions, which was how it came out that a small minority wouldn’t give the POY Award to Koepka even if the season ended today. “Right now I’d go with Dustin Johnson, because he’s averaging $430,000 a start, so throw that in your mix,â€� Ryan Palmer said. “Somebody did the math and told me.â€� Palmer’s source corrected him: It’s $460,000 a start after Johnson’s recent win at the RBC Canadian Open. Three total wins. Two seconds. Two thirds. FedExCup No. 1. And $7.3 million. So it’s Dustin, then. Or is it Justin? Anirban Lahiri said he would give the nod to Thomas, who is a scant 83 points behind Johnson in his bid to become the first repeat FedExCup winner since its inception in 2007. Lahiri’s reasoning: Thomas’ ability as a front-runner, plus his excellence on different types of courses, from Firestone South to PGA National to Nine Bridges. “I’m not saying Brooks is a one-dimensional player,â€� Lahiri said. “He’s not. But I can’t give a guy Player of the Year based only on his performances at 7,600-yard courses.â€� (Koepka finished second at the Charles Schwab Challenge at smallish Colonial Country Club.) Ryan Armour was succinct in explaining how Koepka could be caught. “One of the multiple-tournament winners has to go on and win the FedExCup to have any sort of legitimate argument,â€� Armour said. “It would be a toss-up at that point, but I think if Francesco got hot and won the Cup, it would maybe lean his way.â€� Finally, the question was put to defending FedExCup champion Thomas as he made his way from the practice putting green to the short-game area at Ridgewood. Is the Player of the Year race already over? Thomas stopped, furrowed his brow. “It’s not over, no,â€� he said. “Why would it be over?â€�

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